The Bible teaches us that without sanctification, or holiness, no one will see the Lord. “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” What does this mean for us?
Does it mean, “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t cuss, I don’t chew, and I don’t associate with those who do”? This is spoken tongue-in-cheek, of course, but in reality, in many circles, one can pass for being a Christian, or at least a very devout person, simply by the absence of obvious vices or faults. Is that what holiness is all about?
It is true that our path to holiness starts by ridding ourselves of evil deeds and influences, but that is just a start. From an eternal perspective, the reason we flee immorality and the deeds of the flesh is those things keep us from pursuing God. In the end, holiness is more about who we pursue than what we leave behind.
Without Holiness
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